Reviews

The Legend of Auntie Po by Shing Yin Khor

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anacereading's review

emotional hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

The author's note made me cry and honestly I wanted more of that through the rest of this (though I know there is only so much you can do in a middle grade graphic novel). But I did learn a lot about the Chinese population working as lumberers in the 1800s, a topic I knew absolutely nothing about. Now I can't wait to do a deep dive on this topic.

bibliobrandie's review against another edition

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5.0

I really loved this graphic novel, which is part historical fiction, part magical realism, and part mythology. This is a beautifully crafted and illustrated coming-of-age story set in 1885. Following the passage of the Chinese Exclusion Act, 13-year old Chinese American Mei works alongside her father at a California logging camp. Mei tells stories of Auntie Po and her faithful blue buffalo, Pei Pei, and these legends help her through some tough times. This story touches on mythology and in her author's note Khor asks, who gets to tell and own myths? She also explains how she wanted to tell a story of a queer Chinese American. I feel like this is a fresh take on the historical graphic novel. Loved it!

trevoryan's review against another edition

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4.0

While I usually won't read a graphic novel if I don't love the art, this is a big exception. The story is so interesting and unique that I became engrossed and actually learned to appreciate the art more as I read.